Mark pleased with response from young Dons since cup exit

AFC Wimbledon Under-18s maintained an unbeaten record since FA Youth Cup elimination with a 0-0 draw against Leyton Orient on Saturday and manager Mark Robinson felt it was a good performance.

Wimbledon came closest to a winner in the first-half when Reece Weekes hit the outside of a post from 25 yards and Donte Lodge-Francis, Tyler Burey, and Tino Carpene also threatened to break the deadlock.

In the second-half, Tom Miles denied Orient with two good saves, but Osaze Urhoghide, Dean Perana, and Great Nii Okai-Evans almost won it for Wimbledon. It’s now one win and a draw since the Under-18s exited the FA Youth Cup.

Afterwards, Mark Robinson said: “I was really pleased with the first-half. We dominated the ball and I don’t think they had a chance in open play. We could have troubled their keeper more, but it was hard to get the shots away on a difficult pitch. I thought we played some excellent football with good movement, but we just lacked that end product.

“I warned the boys at half-time that Orient would get in our faces in the second-half and that’s exactly what happened. That’s a side of our game we need to look at. When teams realise that we can play, they get in our faces, it was similar at Plymouth. The players have to stand up to it and take responsibility for wanting the ball, at the same time giving different options if the opposition press high. It’s still a work in progress, but overall, considering Orient beat Southend 6-2 last week, I thought there were a lot of positives.”

Dean Perana was man of the match for Wimbledon.

For more of the interview with Mark, including his views on getting the best out of this season’s crop, and their reaction since FA Youth Cup defeat, see the video link below.